STEWART, Harry, S/L - Killed 5 January 1931 at Shaibah, Iraq in a Wapiti of No.84 (Bomber) Squadron. Other occupant (365803 LAC Henry Irving Wood) slightly injured. Baghdad Times (quoted in Aeroplane) wrote in part on 6 January 1931, “Squadron Leader Stewart’s death draws further attention to the ill-luck which has recently befallen the squadron [No.84] at Shaibah. On the desert side there is not a single landmark by which an incoming pilot can gauge his progress. Squadron Leader Stewart was a skilled night-flier, and last night the moon was full.”

WREN, James Edward, Sergeant (345850) - Killed 10 January 1931 at Risalpur, India in a Wapiti of No.39 (Bomber) Squadron.

SHAW, Geoffrey Maynard Edward, F/L - Killed 12 January 1931 at Haxey, Lincolnshire in a Vickers Vimy of No.2 Flying Training School, Digby; pilot and captain. One crew man 362454 AC Cecil Alfred James Jones, uninjured. Aeroplane of 21 January 1931 reported, “An inquest was held at Westwoodside on January 13 on the bodies of F/L G.E.M. Shaw, P/O G.E.F. Chapman and FS A.G. Rogers who were killed on the night of January 11 during a flight from Brooklands to Digby. Aircraftman Cecil Jones, who was the only survivor of the accident, said that they were flying low in the bad light to try and read the name of the station. They ascended again and prepared to land on what appeared to be a green field. The aeroplane overshot this field and landed in a ploughed field. It struck a bank only about a foot high and turned up on its nose, crushing the three men who were in the front. Flying Officer H. Bailey said that Flight Lieutenant Shaw had lost his way. A verdict of misadventure was returned.”

LEMON, Frank, F/O - Killed 12 January 1931 in collision of two Siskins, No.29 Squadron, North Weald. The tail of his machine broke off and he crashed. The other pilot was P/O D.V. Angell who was acquitted at Court Martial on 17 February 1931. Aeroplane of 21 January 1931 reported on inquest held at Epping, 13 January 1931, “Pilot Officer M. Johnstone said that when the machines were over the Squadron hangar one got into a bump and rocked from side to side. When the pilot found that he was underneath his leader’s machine he turned away and his top left plane caught the leader’s tail. The leader’s machine continued for a few seconds and then dived onto the aerodrome. It was twisted right round as a result of the collision. The jury returned a verdict of ‘accidental death’ and attached no blame to anyone.” Flight report of court martial (issue of 20 February 1931) included the following: “W/C R.D.G. Small said that the regulation about distance between machines flying in formation was very seldom carried out. It was much easier to fly in tight formation than at the correct distances and intervals. According to evidence, both machines got into bumps near a hangar. P/O Angell in his evidence said that he could not control his machine in the bump. He was not aware that there had been any impact until he landed. His machine was less than half a span away from the other. The court acquitted Angell after a brief retirement.” Angell himself was killed on 19 March 1931.

WHITFIELD, Lawrence, F/O - Died of injuries 16 January 1931

MONROE, Walter Sydney, F/O - Killed at Worthy Down, 19 January 1931 in a Vickers Virginia of No.7 (Bomber) Squadron, Worthy Down. First Pilot. F/O John Rene Whitley (fourth crewman) uninjured. Report in Aeroplane of 28 January 1931 re inquest held at Worthy Down on 21 January 1931: “Wing Commander Pulford said that both Monroe and Barton were officers of great experience. Monroe had 200 hours on the type which had crashed and Barton had 600 hours. Milner was one of the best wireless operators in the Squadron. F/O Whitley (who was in the rear gunner’s cockpit of the machine that crashed) said that over the aerodrome at a height of about 700 feet the pilot throttled back his engine in order to approach and land. He had turned right which brought the machine over the parade ground and then made a left turn and in doing so his left wing caught the station Headquarters building. There was a ground wind of between 20 and 25 m.p.h. and the aeroplane was travelling at a normal speed, He thought there was plenty of flying speed. Sergeant Friend of the RAF Police said that when the machine went into a left turn it sideslipped and crashed. He could not say why as the speed was normal. Wing Commander Pulford said that although he did not see the accident, he would say that this was a controlled sideslip. The Coroner said that there was no satisfactory explanation of why or how the accident happened and he recorded a verdict of accidental death.”

TUCKER, Charles Gilbert, W/C - Killed 4 February 1931 in crash of Blackburn Iris flying boat, registration S238, No.209 Squadron, Batten Bay, Plymouth. F/L M.H. Ely seriously injured. Wing Commander Charles Tucker took over the controls from F/L Ely to land the plane on the flat waters of Batten Bay just to the south of Mount Batten. Instead of a graceful landing, the Iris nosedived into the water at approximately 70 mph. The aircraft hit the water under the pilots seats, the tail came up and the mainplane crashed into the sea. After a pause one of the aircraft's floats surfaced followed by the tip of the rudder. Wilfred Little, a harbour pilot and Harry Hole were sailing nearby and were the first on the scene of the incident and rescued two men clinging to wreckage. The Mount Batten station commander and Aircraftsman Shaw (T.E. Lawrence) arrived in an RAF launch wh saved two more. Eight of the twelve people on board perished in the crash and six bodies were never recovered, two of the crew are buried at Ford Park Cemetary. Aeroplane of 25 February 1931 carried a lengthy report of the inquiry. Key paragraphs read:

Wing Commander C.G. Tucker was the pilot of the boat. The evidence shows clearly that he was not a competent pilot, and that he had no right to meddle with the controls at all, as he was flying merely as a marker for machine gun practice by the aircraftmen in the boat, and was only sitting in the seat usually occupied by the second pilot because that seat gives a better view.

He tried to put the boat down on the water, using his authority as senior officer, and he put it down in the wrong way. Flight Lieutenant Ely, who was in the seat intended for the first pilot, endeavoured to correct his mistake, after having already signified that Wing Commander Tucker was doing the wrong thing.

The Wing Commander knocked the Flight Lieutenant’s hands off the wheel and pushed the control forward so that the boat hit the water bow on.

ANGELL, David Victor, P/O - Killed 19 March 1931 at Bourne, Cambridgeshire, in a Siskin of No.29 Squadron. “An inquest was held at Cambridge on March 20. Squadron Leader H.D. O’Neill, Officer Commanding No.29 (Fighter) Squadron, said that Flying Officer Angell started at 2.30 on Thursday afternoon on a map reading flight within a radius of 20 miles. Bourne, where the accident occurred, was outside this area. Mr. Victor Angell, father of Flying Officer Angell, said that he was standing on his land when an aeroplane passed and the pilot waved to him. When the machine returned the pilot seemed to be in difficulties. The machine struck a tree top and crashed. It immediately caught fire and was destroyed.” Aeroplane, 25 March 1931.

ANTHONY, William Henry, Sergeant (335847) - Killed 23 March 1931 near Suleimania, Iraq, in a Wapiti of No.55 (Bomber) Squadron.

NICHOLAS, Robert Hugo, AC1 (364832) - Killed 23 March 1931 near Suleimania, Iraq, in a Wapiti of No.55 (Bomber) Squadron.

WINTRINGHAM, Charles Richard Fildes, F/O - Killed 27 March 1931 in an Atlas of No.2 Squadron, Manston (posted there 23 December 1930). Reported missing after taking off at 1010 hours. “An inquest was held at Sheerness on April 9 on Flying Officer Wintringham and AC1 Ellard whose aaeroplane fell into the sea oon March 27. Dr. W.H. Shephard said that both members of the crew were probably rendered unconscious and then drowned. Flight Lieutenant Stilwell said that the machine was in good order. Judging by the appearance of the wreckage he would imagine that the machine hit the water at considerable speed. The pilot had 300 hours flying experience and he imagined that he misjudged his height. In recording a verdict of ‘Accidental Death’, the Coroner said that the accident had happened in a fog and nobody was to blame.” Aeroplane, 15 April 1931.

MASON, George Henry, AC1 (359952) - Killed 31 March 1931 at Bicester, Oxons, in a Hart of No.33 (Bomber) Squadron.

LITTLE, Charles Hugh Rudgard, F/O - Killed 1 April 1931 at Stroud Green, Essex, in a Gamecock of Armament and Gunnery School, Eastchurch. “An inquest was held at Rochford on April 13 on Flying Officer C.H.R. Little, who was killed at Rochford on April 1. Evidence was given that Mr, Little had not made sufficient allowance for a gusty wind which caught the tail of his machine as he was about to land. A verdict of accidental death was returned.” Aeroplane, 15 April 1931.

SMITH, Ernest Frederick, F/O, RAFO - Killed 3 April 1931

WAUGH, John Keith, S/L, DSC - Died 8 April 1931 of injuries sustained at Ismailia on 4 April 1931 in a Fairey IIIF of Communication Flight, Heliopolis. Two other occupants seriously injured (505870 AC1 David Golphin and 561384 AC1 James Alexander Sherriff Thomas.

WOOD, David Harry Gadsdon, F/O - Killed 24 April 1931 in an accident near Peshwar, Bristol Fighter, No.20 (Army Cooperation) Squadron. “A message from Peshwar on April 27 states that tribesmen hacked their way into the fuselage of the machine and rescued the bodies of Flying Officer Wood and AC Ring on the Khajuri Plain. A jirgah of 70 Afridis escorted the bodies to Jaffe.” Aeroplane, 29 April 1931.

KIDSTON, Glen, Lieutenant-Commander - Killed 5 May 1931 at Van Reenan, Natal, in a Puss Moth which crashed in Drakenburg Mountains during a storm.

MERRIMAN, Alexander Browlow, AC1 (365890) - Killed 6 May 1931 at Netheravon in an Atlas of No.13 (Army Cooperation) Squadron. The pilot, F/O George Reginald Weighill, parachuted safely. Inquest held at Salisbury on 8 May 1931. “Flying Officer G.R. Weighill said that Merriman was the other occupant of a machine which he had flown from Netheravon to Sutton Bridge and back. When about to land at Netheravon, from 1,000 feet on the return journey, he heard a load roar. The engine of his machine came out and the machine became uncontrollable. He ordered Merriman to jump with his parachute. Flight Lieutenant W.A.D. Brook said that an examination of the wreckage disclosed that one blade of the metal airscrew had broken and this must have caused vibration of the engine, which then dislodged. A verdict of accidental death was returned.” Aeroplane

WAGHORN, Henry Richmond Danvers, F/L, AFC - Died 7 May 1931 of injuries sustained 5 May 1931 in a Horsley aircraft, Experimental Section, Royal Aircraft Establishment, South Farnborough; made a forced parachute descent from 500 feet.

VAUGHAN-FOWLER, Denis George, P/O - Killed 7 August 1931 at Hawkinge, Kent, in a Siskin of No.41 (Fighter) Squadron. He had taken off to perform aerobatics at a searchlight military tattoo at Folkstone. He had flown 234 hours solo and five hours at night. “Shortly after he had taken off he returned and gave the emergency landing signal. The witness [Flight Lieutenant A, Leach, MC] thought that he had probably returned because he had encountered low cloud near the tattoo ground.”

FLACK, Martin William, G/C, CBE, MB, BCh - Died 16 August 1931, Halton Hospital, after a long illness. Director of Medical Research at the time of his death.

APPLETON, Wilfred George, Telegraphist, RN - Killed 27 or 28 August 1931 at North Coates Fitties - “shot while a new type of gun magazine was being tested at the RAF Camp. The bullet went through the wooden partition between two rooms and killed Appleton. Evidence was given that the cocking handle was oily and slipped. A verdict of accidental death was returned.” Aeroplane, 2 September 1931.

FULLER, Ralph Reginald, LAC (364633) - Killed 7 October 1931 near Kut al Amara following fall from a Victoria of No.70 (Bomber Transport) aircraft. Aeroplane of 14 October 1931 carried the following Reuter story from The Daily Telegraph:

Fuller was with an RAF party which included two nursing sisters who were flying on duty from Egypt to Iraq. All went well until the machine reached Rutba, the desert outpost 150 miles from Baghdad.

Having taken on petrol, the big Vickers Victoria resumed its journey in darkness for Baghdad but was forced to land after an hour’s flying.

According to Service instructions, when a machine of this type is about to make an emergency landing, Fuller opened the door of the cabinet. In so doing he slipped and fell 700 feet. The machine landed safely, and the remainder of the party were rescued at dawn by a plane from Baghdad.

WILLIAMS, Roger, P/O - Killed 26 October 1931 - Killed in the collision of two Atlas aircraft, No.13 Squadron, at Tidworth, Hants. - Atlas K1017 collided with J9526 and crashed this day. The following from Aeroplane reporting inquest of 28 October 1931:

Flying Officer W.C.G. Wilkins said that he had instructed Flying Officer Singleton to do camera gun practice and Pilot Officer Williams to do radio telephony. The witnss went up to do camera gun practice and when he came down found that Williams had trouble with the R/T. Williams asked for permission to fly round which was given. The two pilots were on separate commissions.

Aircraftman R. Older, the survivor of the crash, who was with Mr. Williams, said that they flew in the direction of Upavon and then changed towards Sidbury. He saw the other machine and warned his pilot that it was coming into formation. Williams acknowledged the warning. They flew in formation for several minutes and then Singleton made a movement which the witness thought meant that he was passing to change from starboard to port. As they were passing he felt the other machine strike the machine he was in. He only remembered hanging out of the machine as it was diving towards the ground and pulling the rip cord of his parachute.

FREEMAN-FOWLER, John, F/L - Died 27 November 1931 at Ismailia, of septicaemia. Had been posted to No.6 (Army Cooperation) Squadron in October. Administration and Stores Branch.

TEIDEMAN, Arthur George, F/O - Killed 28 November 1931 at Hillhead, Hants, in a Moth of RAF Gosport. In March 1931 he had been posted to No.465 (Fleet Torpedo Bomber) Flight at Gosport.

MACKENZIE, John Buralem, F/O - Killed 28 November 1931 at Hillhead, Hants, in a Moth of RAF Gosport.

DATHAM, Norman Gilly, Flight Cadet - died in hospital 30 November 1931 from injuries sustained 24 November 1931 in an Atlas of RAF Cranwell. “The Coroner warmly commended a young farm labourer named Frank Leslie Wilson who, with great bravery, pulled Datham out of the blazing wreckage.”

WHITFIELD, Lawrence - the Western Daily Press of September 23rd 1931 carries the story of "Mr. Lawrence Whitfield, the airman and amateur jockey, who died on Thursday from injuries received at Hurst Park races early in the year." The National Probate Calendar states that he died at the Star and Garter Home, Petersham.
Is this the same chap, or am I barking up the wrong tree?

IRVING-BELL, Laurence Herbert - the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette of January 26th: "Three men were killed and their aeroplane completely wrecked in a crash at Gatwick Aerodrome, Surrey, yesterday. The victims were:
William James Martin, of Penshurst (pilot)
Sidney James Meathrel, of Bromley, Kent
L. H. Irving Bell, of Tonbridge.
They had gone up for a reconnoitring flight in an Avro plane, and after having been in the air about twenty minutes the machine was seen to be in difficulties. a moment later it dived into the ground, the occupants being killed instantly."
The Kent & Sussex Courier of January 30th states that Meathrel was a flying pupil, and Irving Bell the ground engineer at Gatwick.
The Sussex History Forum has the aircraft - Avro 504K G-AACW.

SAMSON, Charles Rumney D.S.O.* and A.F.C. - died suddenly at his home at Cholderton, aged 48.

NECOMBE - Should be NEWCOMBE, Jack Stewart - died at Samaden Hospital, Engadine, Switzerland of Peritonitis. His death was announced in the Times

SMITH, Ernest Frederick - the Dundee Evening Telegraph of April 3rd reports: "Mr Charles Maurice Brown, of Coombe Lodge, Addington Hill, Croydon, and his companion, Captain Frederick Ernest [sic] Smith (37), of Mount Park Avenue, Purley, were killed when their 'plane crashed from a height of 500 ft. at Carshalton, Surrey.
Two years ago Captain Smith was severely injured when an aeroplane which was taking the part of a German bomber for a British film crashed into a house at East Hill, Sanderstead, Surrey."

LAMDIN, Frank O.B.E. - died at the Greenlands Nursing Home, Reading - source is the National Probate Calendar

HACKNEY, Herbert - died at Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham - source is the National Probate Calendar

RICHARDS, William Joseph - died at the R.A.F. Hospital, Hinaidi, Iraq - source is the National Probate Calendar

GRIFFIN, Robert Vernon - the Western Daily Press of July 6th 1931: "Flying Officer Robert Vernon Griffin, stationed at the Royal Air Force Camp at Catfoss, on the East Yorkshire coast, was found lying dead on the grass verge beside a damaged car between Beeford and Brandesburton on Saturday. He left Bridlington in a sports car, and it is surmised that he was thrown out and killed by a bursting of the near side front tyre."

CROLIUS, John Robert - died at the Citadel Hospital, Cairo - source is the National Probate Calendar

BANNERMAN, Ismay - the Western Daily Press of November 3rd: "Flying Officer Ismay Bannerman, a medical officer on the staff of the Royal Air Force at Halton Camp, Buckinghamshire, died there yesterday from injuries caused in a motorcycle accident between Tring and Berkhamstead on October 30th. In a collision he was thrown in front of an approaching motor bus, and his machine caught fire."

JONES, Edward Arnold - the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette of November 9th: "Edward Arnold jones, 35, of Brooklands Flying School, was fatally injured and Flight Lieut. William Evelyn Patrick Johnson, of the Central Flying School, Wittering, was slightly injured when a Gypsy Moth aeroplane nose-dived and crashed in attempting to land at Hendon Aerodrome yesterday. Jones died in hospital. Lieut. Johnson was the pilot."

SEWELL, John Percey Claude - the National Probate Calendar has John Percy Claud Sewell, died at the Hotel Lincoln, 24 Rue Bayard, Paris

DATHAM, Norman Gilly, Flight Cadet - died in hospital 30 November 1931 from injuries sustained 24 November 1931 in an Atlas of RAF Cranwell. “The Coroner warmly commended a young farm labourer named Frank Leslie Wilson who, with great bravery, pulled Datham out of the blazing wreckage.”

Service File:

Court of Inquiry held at Cranwell on 26.11.31. Killed as the result of a flying accident (Pilot) at Brauncewell on Atlas K1499. Due to pilot stalling when to near the ground

EAGLE STRIKES AEROPLANE. TWO FLYERS KILLED. (United Press Association—by Electric Telegraph-Copyright.) (Received January 20th, 7.40 p.m.) DELHI, January 19. A huge rock eagle caused an Air Force aeroplane to crash at Risalpur, in the Punjab, resulting in the death of two airmen. Their machine, with 36 others, was practising formation flying for the forthcoming Royal Air Force pageant at Delhi. The aeroplanes were descending when one was struck by the eagle, smashing the fabric of one wing. The observer, Jeffreys, jumped out, but his parachute became entangled in the fuselage, and he and Sergeant Wren, the pilot, perished in the crash. The eagle had a wing span of eight feet. Such birds are fairly common in the Risalpur district.